Despite their important contributions to the Southern California economy, Chinese American families and their community life were greatly affected by anti-Chinese legislation and social discrimination. In October 1871, nineteen Chinese were murdered in racial violence by a mob of 500 locals. The Chinese Massacre, as it was called, remains one of the most serious incident of racial violence that has ever occurred in Los Angeles and the American West.

From the 1870s, Chinese were the dominant group in agricultural produce as growers, vendors and market proprietors. They distributed their produce from carts around the Plaza. They also operated laundry businesses. In 1888, a laundry operated at the Plaza Substation site. Later others ran restaurants, meat markets and groceries. Merchants owned stores and sold goods for both Chinese and non-Chinese customers along Main, Los Angeles, Alameda and Marchessault Streets. Although professionals were small in number, Chinese also worked as herbalists, dentists, a doctor, a lawyer, interpreters, jewelers, a movie renter and even actors.

By the 1880s, Chinese occupied three sides of El Pueblo Plaza and areas south and east. In its heyday around 1900 with a population of 3,000, Old Chinatown had eight streets, hundreds of buildings and stores, several restaurants, three temples, eight missionary churches, a Chinese school and a theater for Chinese operas. It became an urban center for laborers and farm workers.

Lacking police protection and political representation in matters that affected their lives and work during the Chinese Exclusion, the community founded its own organizations for mutual aid and services. The Garnier Block housed some of the most important, including Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (the umbrella organization of all other groups), Wong Gong Ha Family Association, Chinese American Citizens Alliance and Lung Kong Tin Yee (Four Family) Association.

The 1930s decision by the City of Los Angeles to build Union Station in the heart of Chinatown forced the Chinese Americans to relocate north and west of the original Chinatown to New Chinatown as well as China City which was located between Spring and Main Streets. Others went south to the Adams Street area. New Chinatown still exists and is currently a thriving and populous community which serves both old time residents, merchants and visitors as well as more recent Asian settlers.

After the United States and China became allies during World War II, existing laws preventing Chinese immigration were gradually relaxed. Later in the 1950s, restrictive covenants on the use and ownership of property were removed. As the result of these developments, Chinese Americans could live in other neighborhoods and gain access to new types of jobs. With elimination of immigration restrictions in 1965, the Chinese American population began to increase greatly.

Since 1970, an increasing number of Southeast Asian immigrant Chinese have arrived, some as refugees. The Chinese origins of many of these people, who have migrated at least twice in their lives, are Quongdong, Chieu Chow, Amoy and Fukien. In addition, there are many recent arrivals from Hong Kong, Taiwan and all parts of China. Many have low to moderate incomes and many are elderly. They regard Chinatown as their entry community because of language and culture. The more affluent settle and conduct business in the suburban centers of the San Gabriel Valley, Palos Verdes, Cerritos and Orange County.

There has been a rapid growth of satellite or suburban Chinese American communities, notably in the San Gabriel Valley in cities such as Monterey Park and Alhambra. Most still regard New Chinatown as a social, spiritual and cultural base of their heritage.

For more information, please see:

• Chinese Americans in Los Angeles: A Timeline
  A timeline of Chinese American history concentrating around Los Angeles.

• Voices: Family Stories
  Oral histories of Chinese American families in Los Angeles.

• A Statement of Remembrance
  On the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the Los Angeles Chinese Massacre

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